this post was submitted on 21 Sep 2024
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Comradeship // Freechat
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Dude, wtf, show some respect for the people struggling
Edit: sorry, wasn't aware of the situation with food waste in other countries
In a pinch this is a viable strategy, particularly at stores and restaurants. They often throw out still good food.
Idk, purely from ignorance, is it the first suggestion you'd give to someone?
If you live in the United States, yes. We waste so, so much food. Like seriously. You could go into a dump at "garbage time" (easy to figure out by just watching store employees) and grab an entire fridge-worth of food for multiple people. A lot of food banks or churches can do exactly what OP described as above; deem you for whatever reason not able to grab shit from their expired food section. Often than not, the food bank near me gives you a variety of cans that are more "baking goods" than actual food you can eat out of the can. 8 cans of applesauce is great for keeping full but not exactly nutritious and makes you feel like Steve Jobs on a fruitarian diet.
Dumpster-diving wasn't meant to be "insulting". It's seen as that because we look down at scavengers in America for whatever reason. When I was scraping by and jumping from place to place; dumpsters were literally the best place to get free food, free drinks and free beer.
Sadly, they lock them up, put security cams or dogs around the cans to prevent people from rummaging. Just gotta be smart.
Ok, I apologize then
No problem! No need too, it's just that it's truly bad country.
In that case, I apologize for my former comment
No need for apologies. Each learns in their own way and in their own time. You can’t know what you haven’t learned. And you CAN learn to escape willful ignorance.
Yeah, seriously. We waste so much.
Back when I was in school, course load such that I had little time to work, I learned that dumpsters were a viable source for free food. Jamba is the diety of the dumpster, and we would praise the abundance. As an example, I had a friend who had visitors from Russia. I decided to swing by the grocer’s dumpsters, and ‘lo found all sorts of ripe fresh fruit. I took some, and left some for others to find. The Russians were amazed and delighted that there was anything free to be had in the US. Of course we are taught to look down on scavenging, foraging, gleaning. But who teaches that lesson? The owners.
I also learned the saying, “Not everything in the dumpster is for you.” Which teaches the importance of appreciation, sharing, and discernment.
In the area I was in, I was pretty much the only dumpster-diver. Was nice to not have to shop for groceries all the time.